


The prince and the wolf

by SpaskaAlekha



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Roman Empire AU, Wolfstar AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-08-31
Packaged: 2018-11-01 05:15:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10915071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaskaAlekha/pseuds/SpaskaAlekha
Summary: On one side, there is Sirius Black: Heir to the throne of the Black's Empire with a preference for men, rebellious and trying to avoid a marriage as long as possible.On the other side stands Remus Lupin: Werewolf, society's outcast and part of the rebellion against said Empire.Both are following their own paths, paths that never would have crossed if everything had gone according to plan.But who can expect a plan to work in a world, where wizards rule with an iron fist and werewolves try to overthrow the government?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is the first time I ever publish a fic. I’m also not a native English speaker, so there will be mistakes and it probably won’t have the most elegant descriptions (plus I tend to repeat myself a lot) but it’s the best I can do.  
> This tumblr-post made me want to write this: http://asktheboywholived.tumblr.com/post/160361366017/wolfstar-au-synopsis-the-empiremore  
> And btw sorry for the unoriginal title, I was struggling with it the most and then tried to keep it simple
> 
> I've done (a little) research about typical Roman architecture and attire but took the liberty in adding (or losing) some elements or in interpreting some things different. 
> 
> Since it's my first time publishing anything I have like zero idea how to tag or rate this story. If any of you want me to rate it differently or add more tags, I'll gladly do it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the first time I ever publish a fic. I’m also not a native English speaker, so there will be mistakes and it probably won’t have the most elegant descriptions (plus I tend to repeat myself a lot) but it’s the best I can do.  
> This tumblr-post made me want to write this: http://asktheboywholived.tumblr.com/post/160361366017/wolfstar-au-synopsis-the-empiremore  
> And btw sorry for the unoriginal title, I was struggling with it the most and then tried to keep it simple
> 
> I've done (a little) research about typical Roman architecture and attire but took the liberty in adding (or losing) some elements or in interpreting some things different. 
> 
> Since it's my first time publishing anything I have like zero idea how to tag or rate this story. If any of you want me to rate it differently or add more tags, I'll gladly do it.

Sirius glanced around the area. He was standing next to his mother and father under a canopy that protected them from the searing sun. They were placed on the edge of the square where the military camp’s Via principalis and Via praetoria met. In front of them the Praetorian Guard, their army’s elite unit, was being prepared for a strike against the werewolves.  
As long as he can remember, the so called beasts were a huge threat to his family’s reign. A couple of years ago a wolf named Romulus had been able to unify a couple of packs, forming a group that had been becoming more of a problem than anybody would have guessed. On a regular basis they were raiding trading carts, military squads and royal escorts, sometimes even groups of pilgrims yet no one was able to get a hand on them.  
Sirius’ cousin Bellatrix – whom he despised with every inch of his body – had suggested an alternative plan: She had sent out a toy of hers, an enslaved beast, she had claimed for herself, to infiltrate the pack and provide information about their plans and location in exchange of a handful of freedoms. His mother had accepted reluctantly, not liking the idea of an even partly independent beast but the threat the group had posed seemed to be greater than that.  
And as it seemed, the chosen wolf had finally delivered.

The Black focused his gaze on the Praetorian’s general, Abraxas Malfoy, and his son Lucius. Both of them were part of the royal guard, following the family tradition of protecting the Blacks. Now they were dressed in combat armour while preparing their men for the upcoming fight against the beasts.  
Sirius couldn’t (or didn’t want to) prevent his gaze from roaming Lucius’ body. The fair-haired man may have been one of the most stuck up and annoying people existing in the royal ranks (plus he was engaged to Sirius’s cousin Narcissa) yet Sirius was able to appreciate the physique of the other one.  
His long, almost white hair was tightly braided and put up so it wouldn’t pose as a possible danger. His shoulders were broad and his arms strong from the physical training he was required to keep up for unarmed fights – a situation that had a high potential of arising while fighting beasts. He grinned slightly, imagining that a body like this would come in handy, it at least promised a lot of stamina.

Before he could lose himself in his own thoughts, his mother hit his arm with her fan and shot him a dark look. Rolling his eyes, he turned away and looked over to the cart that was prepared in case they were actually able to capture the pack’s leader. His parents already had filed out a perfect sentence for him and the others.  
If they were able to catch him, he would be executed publicly in front of his pack, the rest of them were a refreshment for the arena. Sirius always had despised fights between werewolves. They were predictable and barbaric, usually ending with one wolf tearing the other into pieces. The winner was dragged back into the arena’s dungeon to wait for the next fight. 

Sirius adjusted his toga, the heavy linen cloth only adding to the heat. Even though his hair was braided up, he was able to feel drops of sweat running down his neck, vanishing under the seam of his tunic. Usually he would have only worn the lighter garment only yet his father had insisted on him draping himself in the white sheet too, since he would have to present himself properly in front of part of the army, he was to lead someday.  
Once the squad had departed, making their way to the location they hoped the beasts’ camp would be, he was finally able to apparate back to their house.  
The second he had reached the atrium, the cool air inside the house sent a short shiver down his spine but he was thankful for it.

There was a pool in the centre of the room, directly positioned under the open part of the roof. It was richly decorated with small statues and ornaments, simply designed to catch rainwater. It was surrounded by a couple of columns that supported the roof. Opposite of the main entrance, two staircases opened the way into the upper levels, between them an empty doorframe that led to the back part of the house, the peristyle. It was a small garden, also covered by a roof with a hole in the centre. That was used to water the herbs and flowers his cousins Andromeda and Narcissa were growing back there. His mother also used a part of that area yet she only grew poisonous plants, while Bellatrix never set a foot there.

He went up the stairs to go to his room. They were arranged around the open centre of their house. The main bedroom was the one above the entrance, belonging to his parents. His room was next to it (or more around the corner, since the room took up the whole front of the house), the ones belonging to his cousins were up here as well. Luckily, every room had its own separate bathroom, so he wasn’t able to run into one of his cousins or even his parents trying to take a bath. The slave quarters, kitchen and other mundane places were found at the base level as well.  
Sirius stepped into his room, closing the doors. Upon entering, he got rid of his shoes. The leather had been annoying him the whole time, especially after a handful of sand had found its way between his skin and the leather strips. He also dumped his toga onto one of the low chairs next to the small table in one of the corners of his rooms.  
He knew, it was preferred to wear sandals inside yet he preferred walking around barefoot, especially on hot days like this. The cold marble that covered the floor and most of the walls was a dearly welcomed change to the hot and dry stones outside of the hose. Sirius partially loosened the belt around his waist and grabbed a handful of grapes. There were still some hours left until his parents, who directly apparated back to the Senate, came back home. He had given his personal slave the permission to spend her day the way she wanted since he had hoped for some peace and silence.  
With an apathetic huff, he let himself fall onto his bed, taking a book he had found quite interesting and tried to get some order into his lately restless mind.

~~~

Remus stood next to Romulus in the leader’s tent. They bent over a map together, discussing placements for their next raid in the morning. There was a third person with them, Randall. He was the latest gain for the pack. He neither looked nor acted likable in any kind of way. His body was big, broad and covered in scars. Even though scars were nothing abnormal for any werewolf, something about them awoke an unsettling feeling in Remus, something he couldn’t quite place. The man’s face had brutish streaks and was disfigured with scars on one side of his face and a nose that had been broken more than once. Maybe he once had been a handsome man once but neither the time nor his opponents had been gentle with him. He never hid the beast inside him, always portraying fangs and the yellow wolf eyes. His stare made everyone uncomfortable, even Remus couldn’t help but stiffen once the others gaze was on him. Even though he despised him, something about Randall felt familiar and that caused Remus to get even more distance between them than before.

Romulus on the other hand didn’t seem to mind the company. There was no denying that Randall was an experienced fighter but Remus doubted his intentions. He was gone too often, was behaving strangely and one time they had found a corpse of one of their members. Remus had been sure, that the dead one was seen with Randall before plus he had smelled blood on the latter yet Romulus wasn’t listening to him.  
With a furrowed brow, the younger one tried focusing on the map, then shook his head. “That’s never going to work. We either have to go in before that point or after the entered the forest, otherwise were too much in the open”, he explained, gesturing and pointing out better starting points. The leader nodded thoughtfully, his arms crossed. “I think, the forest is our best option. They are going to be constricted by the trees and we know that terrain. If anything goes wrong, we are able to get back to the camp safely.”  
Remus nodded slightly “That’s what I had been thinking, too” He felt the piercing gaze of Randall on him and tried to ignore it, tried to focus on his task. Romulus was quiet for a couple of minutes, then he spoke up again “Randall, what do you think about that? Would you agree?” The bigger one grinned and looked at the map. “Well, you know me, I wouldn’t care if we were in the op or not but I understand your thoughts. And the little one is the brain, right? So he probably knows better.”

The younger one clenched one fist under the table. He knew, he wasn’t as well built as most of the other werewolves but that didn’t mean he was unable to fight. Yes, he preferred to stay at the camp, to help training and planning instead of participating in raids but nonetheless, he was one of the pack’s quickest and most agile fighters. He had to be, otherwise he wouldn’t have survived that long.  
Noises from outside changed the trios focus. Remus pushed himself off the desk. “I’m going to see, what’s going on” but Randall already had reached the tent’s entrance. “No need for that, I’m going to be right back.” He hesitated but relaxed again after receiving a signal from Romulus. As the bigger man left, he could see that the sun almost had vanished behind the hills. Rubbing his neck with one hand, he turned back to the table, trying to ignore the commotion from outside and focus on finalizing their plan. He knew that sending him outside had been a mistake and his feeling was confirmed once he came back.

“Well? What is going on out there?” Romulus asked once the entrance opened up again. Remus raised his gaze to see Randall grinning. Suddenly, he took everything in at once. There was someone behind the big werewolf, someone with blond, almost white hair. The sound outside now had transformed into screams and fighting noise. There was something else, often followed by cracking or a pained scream. It was too late, when he recognized the sound.

Spells. Someone was casting spells.

He sprinted across the tent, trying to get to Randall, but the other one stepped aside, revealing the man beside him. Before Remus could make out any kind of detail, he was blinded by a light and thrown back into the table. He groaned out of pain and tried to get up but was pushed into the dirt again by something heavy. No, someone heavy. Remus tried to struggle but Randall only laughed. “You were smart, little one. The only one that saw through me. Kind of at least. And yet you weren’t clever enough to prevent all of this.”  
The younger one was forced to watch as Romulus fought against the wizard but even the strongest and fastest one couldn’t avoid the spells that flared around the tent for a long time. It didn’t take long and the wizard conjured a spell that put Romulus in shackles. Remus gave of a desperate scream as his leader, his idol, his friend got dragged out by a chain that connected to the collar around his neck like a dog. With a last attempt Remus tried to free himself, seemingly surprising the one that held him down so he could actually break free from the hold. He rolled to his feet, then attacked Randall blindly. Never in his life had he been that angry. He had never wanted to kill someone. Until now.

The other werewolf didn’t seem to have expected his sudden movement and was thrown to the ground by him. “You traitor! How could you? How could you betray your own kind?” In any other situation, Remus would have been shocked by his own actions yet right now his mind was hazed with fury. He had fought for this group, given everything to them to free his people, trying to find a way to get rid of the royal families. And now everything he had done, he had sacrificed, it had been for nothing. Useless. His friends and family, the people he had spent most of his life with were out there, getting killed or put in chains.  
He tried to break the bigger ones defence and couldn’t get his mind to care for his surroundings. It was clear that what he did was a huge mistake but he’d rather die now than get enslaved by the ones that degraded his people.

Without a warning pain shot through his body. Something had cut through the back of his tunic, cut into his flesh. While his body tried to cope with the pain, he got slammed into the ground by Randall. Looking up, there was the wizard again, wand directed at Remus’ face. “Good, job, Fenrir. Your Master will be pleased.”  
Remus stiffened. Fenrir. He knew that name. He knew that man. Now it was clear, why he always had seemed oddly familiar. His body went limp and he closed his eyes, remembering the night when someone had broken into their house, killed his parents and transformed him. New scars had changed that face and Remus had been blind enough to ignore the feelings telling him that something was wrong.  
His mind wandered back to the current situation. Fenrir was holding his arms in an iron grip behind his back and pulled him onto his knees. Opening his eyes again, he looked the wizard straight into the eyes, expecting this to be his final moments. To his surprise, the fair-haired man only flicked his wand, chaining Remus up like he had done it with Romulus. “He is strong. He will be a good addition to the arena. Get him to the others.”

Fenrir dragged him onto his feet and outside. The fight was over. He could see the corpses of the guards. The survivors ware lines up behind a wagon. On there, Romulus sat, chains keeping him kneeling on the wooden planks. His eyes were closed and he didn’t move. Of course, they had taken out the leader to get the rest of the pack to surrender. Even the children were in chains and Remus clenched his fists again. He was pushed in line, his gaze mounted onto Romulus back.  
The wizards set fire to the tents, burning down everything the pack had owned and while the orange flames were devouring the hopes of his kind, he was dragged forward, forced to walk. He knew where they were going. And nothing but pain and death would await them there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading :)
> 
> I'd really appreciate some critique on what I can improve (or if I even should continue the story)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a reference for the arena in this chapter, I took the Colloseum in Rome. I actually was able to visit it, so I’m mostly going off my own experience and the things they told us on our tour there.

Sirius sat down next to his father, lazily leaning back into his chair. It had been three days now since the Praetorians had arrived with the remains of the Empires biggest threat, chained up and restricted like a wild animal, his followers behind him with their eyes showing their broken spirits. The people had cheered for the soldiers and the Emperor’s family while throwing rocks or rotten fruit at the captured beasts.  
Today was the day of Romulus’ execution and it looked like every habitant the city possessed had gathered here today to see the feared beast’s head roll. The ranks were crowded, completely filled from the bottom to the top. One side of the oval building held the seats for the royal family under a canopy, surrounded by seats for the other pure-blooded wizard families. The rest of the ranks always reminded Sirius of broad stairs, giving enough space to kind of comfortably sit on them. Everything – the walls, pillars and the ground – was covered in white marble, giving the building an almost innocent look – ironic, considering how much blood had tainted the arena already.  
The centre of the arena held a platform, covering the centre of the building’s base level. From the entrances stairs led up to the ranks, access to the centre was only granted to noble people or workers.  
Sirius knew that under the platform a system of tunnels was stretched out, containing cells and storage room for weapons and food. A complicated system allowed that the right prisoners, animals or gladiators were send up onto the platform to entertain the masses. For some fights the platform was decorated with fake trees and rocks to simulate some kind of landscape yet now there was a small platform on top of it. The wooden planks were stained dark in the centre, he knew what had caused the stain but tried not to think about it. 

He turned to take a look around and spotted a dark head to his right. Not far from him his friend James Potter was seated, next to him standing a red haired slave girl. Lily, he recalled. She used to belong to the Blacks but Sirius gave her to James for his last birthday after finding out that his friend had a thing for the girl. His mother had protested but he did it anyway.  
Lily – like other slaves in the noble households – had shown signs of magical abilities even though her parents both were low-born merchants without any trace of magic in their line of ancestors. She had been taken into the royal district to be under direct control and had carried on her live as a slave from then. Sirius suspected that James secretly tutored her but he wouldn’t talk to him about it, not wanting to cause trouble for his friend. Teaching the slaves anything, let alone magic, was prohibited and his mother wasn’t going to judge mildly if something like that came out. 

Getting distracted due to a certain uproar in the crowd, Sirius turned back to the arena. One of the gates had opened, a group of Praetorians leading in the infamous werewolf leader. The man was walking into his death and still seemed calm, almost relaxed, and proud. He was going upright, every step showed sincerity and Sirius had to admit that he kind of admired the man for what he showed right now. The other wolves were pushed in, too, then the gate closed. They were forced into a kneeling position while General Malfoy led Romulus up onto the small platform. He was also pushed down, calmly kneeling on the wood that had seen more death than anybody in the whole Empire.  
As another person stepped up and took his place next to the General, few of the beasts growled or even tried to break the hold just to be violently forced into submission by the chains.  
The man that had provoked that reaction was dressed in the attire of an executioner, the blade that would end the rebellion once and for all was at his side. 

His father rose to his feet, stepping to the front of the balcony they were sitting on. Mumbling a spell to make himself heard in every corner of the arena, he raised his voice which was now echoing loudly. “Romulus, self-proclaimed leader of the rebellion that tried to threaten my family’s reign and the lives of our people, accused of numerous raids, murders and instigation of rebellion against the royal family and the Empire’s system of law. I hereby sentence you to death for the crimes you have performed against our Empire.” The crowd hollered, chanting “Long live the Empire!”, “Take his head!” and numerous other sentences while his father raised his hand. Romulus was pushed forward so his neck got exposed. The executioner drew his sword and took his place next to the chained man. He raised the weapon and looked up to the Emperor, waiting for a sign. Once the dark-haired man dropped his hand, the sword’s blade dropped as well. Sirius averted his gaze before that, feeling sick as the crowd celebrated the death of a man. True, Romulus had wanted to destroy everything Sirius’ family stood for but some part of him wished he would have succeeded.

~~~

Remus knelt in the hot sand, the sun burning from above. Sweat was running under the collar and the cuffs that kept him restrained and started to cause an itch yet he didn’t move a muscle. When under the cheers of the crowd the executioner’s blade separated Romulus’ head from his body, Remus closed his eyes. The sound of something heavy falling onto the platform mixed with the smell of blood was enough to turn his stomach upside down. He wasn’t a weak person, having seen death more than many others in the pack but the thought of his friend getting killed, and people cheering for it, filled him with disgust.  
He remained completely still unlike the others. Some screamed, others growled but Remus knew that it was to no avail. Their leader was dead, the rebellion crushed, their spirit broken. And now every remaining member was going to get thrown into the arena to fight until death or put into slavery, a fate that was probably even worse. 

Opening his eyes again, he looked up to the royal family and found himself surprised by seeing the one he assumed to be the Emperor’s son turned away from the scene. His attention shifted to the Empress as she stood up from her seat and took a step forward. “With this threat gone, we can finally reside in peace and harmony. And to celebrate our victory, the rest of the beasts will be part of our entertainment program.” Again the crowd cheered.  
Two of the soldiers dragged two of the werewolves to their feet, pushing them towards the centre of the arena. Their chains vanished into thin air and both of them gazed around suspiciously. The Empress looked at them. “This is your chance to fight. The ones that impress us the most will face a fate other than death.” 

He looked at her knowing that she intended to kill every single one of them, no matter what she promised now. No one would survive but apparently the others didn’t seem to realise that. Just the slim chance of surviving this madness seemed to crush every spark of loyalty and common sense. Within seconds, they turned on each other.  
Shocked, Remus watched as two men, who had fought side by side just days before, were trying to rip each other’s throat open. The people hollered, screaming “Fight!” and “Kill him!” at them, only increasing the rush the two were in. They wanted blood and were about to get it.

The fight didn’t last long: The bigger one was able to hold the other in an iron grip, snapping his neck shortly after proudly displaying him to the crowd and the nobles. The body went limp and fell to the ground after being released. Remus clenched his fists, anger boiling inside him as he made a decision. No matter what would happen, he would never hurt a brother or sister, no matter what they threatened him with. His gaze wandered up to the royal balcony, just in time to see the heir, the same one that had looked away during Romulus’ execution, standing up and leaving his place, turning his back to the happenings in the arena.

~~~

Disgusted by his mother’s actions and the cheering crowd, Sirius stood up and left, ignoring the burning gaze of his parents. He always had hated the arena, it displayed everything his parents stood for. And, naturally, with having a strained relationship with his parents came an aversion to everything they preferred in the society and everything they wanted him to be.  
He heard the footsteps of his slave following him but sent her back with a gesture of his hand. He needed to be alone, even if it was just for a short period of time. He entered the cool shadow of the hallways that were going around the arena and leaned against a wall. The bloodlust the people had shown disgusted him. The cold, satisfied smile on his mother’s face disgusted him. While he was standing there he let his mind wander and remembered the deal he had made with his mother weeks ago. 

***  
_“You can’t be serious!” she fumed, wandering around the room in a restless manner. Sirius crossed his arms and lifted an eyebrow. “Is that a rhetorical question? Because I do believe, that I’m Sirius. You named me, you should know.” She shot him an angry glance and he grinned slightly._  
_“You don’t have to accept my proposition, mother, but I do believe that if you did, everyone would come out as a winner.” She stopped at the doors that led onto the small balcony in her room, thinking about it again._  
_“So, to summarise what you just said: You will accept to marry Bellatrix and produce an heir, if... if we allow you to have a lover of your choosing?” Sirius nodded. “That’s the deal. Plus you grant me freedom in what I do with him. What I dress him in or if I teach him something is none of your business. Whatever is regarding him, will not leave my quarters.” She looked at him, traces of disgust and fury in her eyes but he already knew that she would agree. Otherwise no one could assure that he wouldn’t just run off in case she tried to force him into a marriage._  
_With a frustrated sigh she fully faced him. “Alright. I will accept your offer, if you swear to keep your part of the promise.” He grinned triumphantly. “I will. Once I have found one that fulfils my expectations, I will marry Bellatrix. Just to be sure, you know. I don’t want to marry her and then for you to just act like that deal never happened.” Her expression was difficult to read but he was sure that she was trying to hold herself back from smacking him across the face. “Have a pleasant evening, mother.” With these words, he turned around and left the room._  
***

Sirius leaned his head back against the wall as an idea started to form in his mind. A slight grin spread across his face and he pushed himself off the wall again. With the new plan and a more composed expression, he returned to his seat, ignoring the questioning glances and turning his attention to the arena. Apart from Romulus and the loser of the fight, a third corpse was laying on the ground while a third fight was being carried out. 

Even though Sirius had just taken one look at it, he knew it was different than the ones before. The two opponents had brought some distance between the corpses and themselves. One of them acted like he had expected yet the other’s behaviour surprised him.  
Everyone was able to see, that he was a skilled fighter despite his rather slim build. Instead of attacking, he simply defended himself and tried talking to his opponent. From his place, the distant was too big to make out any details on the wolf’s face but Sirius had been able to see some of them as they were dragged into the city and what he was able to see was rather promising. Most of them were actually quite handsome, the only thing that would have scared off most people were the scars. Sirius himself didn’t mind scars, he actually preferred them over perfect smooth skin. Scars were imperfections and something his family didn’t like seeing, so choosing someone with them would anger his mother more. 

Sirius admired how agile the wolf was, how quick his reactions and smooth his movements were and he made a decision.  
Should this one survive until the end, he would choose him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here's chapter 3!  
> Thanks to the people that left comments. I'm sorry, I didn't answer personally but everything I tried writing sounded just bland...
> 
> Anyway, I added some oc's (kinda) since there weren't many other characters I could've put into these positions. Just did it to give them names and back stories t make it more personal. 
> 
> I'm not sure, if I really like that chapter but... well, here it is anyways :D

Turmoil outside caught his attention. Remus opened his eyes and rose from the spot he had taken in the corner furthest from the door, not that it would create much difference. Slowly, he made his way over to the front to get a look at what was happening.   
One of the Emperor’s nieces, Bellatrix if he remembered right, had entered the cell area. It wasn’t unusual, she was the one to pick the next fighters but this time, Fenrir was at her side. He stood close to her, closer than a usual bodyguard would and closer than he thought she would want a so called beast to be. Around his neck there was a leather collar, showing his status as her property. 

The other wolves growled at him, called him a traitor. One actually tried to get to him through the bars but he was quickly forced back with a spell. As they moved past Remus’ cell, Fenrir gave him a look and a wide grin spread across his face. Remus had to hold himself back so he wouldn’t react the same way the others had. “You’re still here. Good” he said in a low voice then he moved past the cell, closely following his master. 

Remus clenched his fists until his knuckles stood out white and backed away again. Since his first fight in the arena almost a week ago, he hadn’t been out of the cell for once. After almost an hour of defence and trying to persuade his opponent, the fight had been ended by the wizards to resume with other parts of their program. The few wounds he received during the fight were healing slowly but they were healing. The gash on his back from the ambush wasn’t and that was what worried him. A wound would take energy he might need in case of another fight. He still remained with his decision not to harm anyone but a failure in his defence due to pain or lack of energy could prove fatal.   
With a huff, he fell down onto the ground again, leaning against the cold stone wall and closed his eyes. This time, a voice distracted him. 

“Why do you act like you don’t care, Remus?” He opened his eyes again and turned to the direction of the voice. In the cell next to his, a rather young wolf sat. He remembered when they picked her up. Her dirty blonde hair was loosely pulled back, her pale blue eyes looked at him with an intensity that made his skin crawl. Her skin was dusty and dirty, a deep, fresh cut dragged across her cheek and nose. Other small injuries were scattered across her arms an upper body but she didn’t seem to care about them. Clearly, she had been in a fight not ago. And since she was here, someone else was dead because of her.  
He crossed his arms and answered “Why do you act like the people you kill for their entertainment weren’t your brothers and sisters just a week ago?” Her eyes widened slightly and she averted her gaze. He could see her guilt and leaned forward a bit. “You’re Artemis, right?” She nodded but still avoided his gaze. “Yeah...”

“Why do you fight, Artemis? I know you, you’re a smart girl. You know they won’t allow us to be alive no matter what they tell us now. Why do you obey?” Her fingers balled around the hem of her shirt and she bit her lip. “My brother Atlas was killed three days ago. There’s nothing I have left. I might as well play their little game. That’s all. That does not mean I want to kill them. But in the end, everybody will die, so what’s the point in playing instead of getting it over with?””  
Remus made his way over to the bars separating them. “That you have nothing isn’t true. You have us. I admit, I haven’t known your brother as good as I’d like to but I know that he was a skilled fighter. If he died, he either had a really strong opponent or gave up.” He made a pause and looked at his hands. “I was five when Fenrir, the one that betrayed us, killed my parents and bit me. I know how it feels if you lose someone. But you have to keep fighting for yourself. And this time, it does not require you to hurt others.”

“Then what do you think I should do?” she asked, looking back up again. There was a glimmer of fury in her eyes and voice but he didn’t flinch. Small emotional outbursts were something to expect from werewolves. He remained silent for a moment, thinking about his words carefully. “Avoid the fight. You’re fast. Try to defend yourself. They will eventually end the fight if it takes to long.”  
She lifted an eyebrow. “So I should just run like a coward?” “How is defending your life to maybe carry on with your purpose in the future cowardice?” he asked and examined her reaction. At first she seemed surprised, then she averted her gaze, apparently thinking about his words. When she spoke up again, she sounded tired. “How can I fight for a purpose that is dead?”

“It isn’t.” He paused again, realising that that was the reason he kept going even though he had thought before, that it was dead. “It’s still alive. And it will be, as long as one of us is still standing. That’s why they put us in here instead of simply enslaving us like the others. We are a threat, we always will be. Romulus death might have shattered us now but we can arise again if they leave us alive. Were in the Empire’s capital. There are more slaves here than anywhere else. If they would let us live, they would present us an army. We may not leave this arena ever again but we can do our best to pass on our purpose to the ones that will.”  
She looked at him, her expression unreadable. “Never took you for the one to hold inspiring speeches. Pity that I’m the only one to hear it.” A small grin spread across her face and he smiled, asking “Did it at least have the effect I was hoping for?” She leaned against the wall behind her, still facing him. “Seems like it. I mean, I’m motivated to drag my next fight out as long as possible. That’s good, isn’t it?” He relaxed against the bars as far as it was possible, his smile widening a little bit.   
“It’s something.”

*** Three days later***

Remus was pushed into the arena and squinted to cope with the sudden brightness. The hollering crowd greeted him with phrases and thrown objects. He ducked away from an apple that was thrown at him and cautiously made his way to the centre. Another door opened, revealing his opponent. It was one of the older wolves. They never had respected him the way Romulus had done and had kept their distance so he didn’t know him well. 

The following fight was far more difficult than his first. His opponent, Harold, he now recalled, was more experienced than Remus himself. He was bigger, stronger and never shied away from a violent confrontation. Remus knew that he had the disadvantage of the shorter reach and lesser strength but there was one thing he was superior in – speed. As Harold hauled at him, taking a direct swing at his head, Remus ducked under it, rolling through the other’s feet and quickly gaining distance between them.   
As the other turned around, anger written all over his face, he knew that this fight would be tiresome and long. He would have to try and avoid the other’s claws for as long as possible, he couldn’t allow himself to get caught in Harold’s grip or he would be crushed by the other.

~~~

Sirius sat down at the small table in his room. His thoughts were stuck with the wolf from the arena. They had kept him away for more than a week and he had almost worried that they killed him for not participating. What was even more interesting was the fact that the day before another wolf had adapted his technique of defence instead of offence. It had lead Sirius to believe that the wolf had been able to persuade her not to fight. At least, that what he was imagining. 

As someone cleared their throat, he looked up. Nova, his personal slave, held two dishes with fruit in her hands and looked at him with a questioning gaze. He nodded and she put them down at the table. Afterwards, she proceeded to give him a message via her hands.   
As far as he knew, she tried to run away once and his mother cut out her tongue after they had brought her back. Sirius had chosen her to be his personal slave and they had developed a simple sign language to communicate. 

“All right, let him in. And fetch us some wine, while you’re at it.” She nodded and hurried away. Shortly after, James entered the room, followed by the distinctive red head of Lily. “Hello, Sirius” he greeted him and Sirius rose to his feet to shake his best friend’s hand. “Come on, sit with me, won’t you” the Black motioned over to the second chair and sat down again. “I’m glad you’re here. My family is driving me crazy.”  
The slightly shorter man snorted in an attempt to hide his laughter. “Aren’t they always? Is your mother still trying to marry you to Bellatrix?” Sirius nodded thoughtfully and took the goblet with wine Nova offered him. He turned to her and said “Why don’t you take Lily downstairs, so James and I can have a conversation in private?” She bowed slightly and motioned to the redhead to follow her. Once the door was closed behind them, Sirius took a sip from the wine and turned back to James. 

“She is. And that is why I asked you here. Do you remember the deal I told you about? The one I have with my mother?” James nodded slightly and took a mango from one of the plates, turning it in his hand. “Yeah, I do. Did she throw it out of the window or have you found someone?” he asked, looking at the other curiously. Sirius leaned back and grinned slightly. “I did find someone, actually. Kind of, at least. My mother doesn’t know about it yet and she will be anything but thrilled once she knows who I am going to choose.”   
The Potter raised an eyebrow and ate a piece of the fruit. “Well? Spit it out? Who is the happy winner?” Sirius took another sip and slightly circled his goblet, observing the small movements the liquid responded with. “You know the one werewolf from the arena? The one that refused to fight?”

James stopped in his motion, another piece of mango now hovering in front of him. “A werewolf? And one from the rebellion, too? Your mother will be furious.” The Black grinned. “That’s the plan. But you don’t really sound surprised.”  
“Yeah, that’s because I know you for almost ten years and have spent more time with you, than anybody else. I kind of suspected something like that, though. More subconsciously, but now that you said it, I’m feeling less surprised and more reassured.” He shrugged and finally ate the piece. “Touché” Sirius responded and took some grapes. 

James looked at him, obviously having found the flaw in his plan. “What happens, if he dies before you can make your move?” Sirius hummed slightly. He had thought about that before but had found the answer earlier that day after overhearing Bellatrix and her pet. “He won’t Fenrir, Bellatrix’ personal toy wants to fight him. He is the final boss, you could say. And since his master is the one to choose the participants, she will only put him up against targets she knows he can handle. Heard them discussing this issue this morning. So I’m pretty sure he’s getting to the final rounds.”

“Sounds promising. And why don’t you take him out now?” He looked at his friend and emptied the goblet. “As much as I’d love to, right now it is too noticeable and you know how much my family loves discretion. Normally, I wouldn’t care about it but I think I’m exhausting my privilege with choosing a werewolf already. If I’m causing some kind of commotion now, I’m sure, she’d just stop caring about getting an heir and would straight up kill me. So I’m waiting. And I have been patient for so long, what are a couple of weeks more?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm actually trying to figure out what to do with Artemis. If you have any suggesitions, I'd aprecciate it, if you'd leave them in the comments. Thanks in advance :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, there was a lot going on in the last time

By now, Remus had lost his sense of time. The only light came from a torch on the wall opposite to his cell. There were no windows to indicate what time of day it was. He slept less with every day, only ate the necessary and spent the rest of his time thinking or talking to Artemis. He was only taken out to the arena twice after his second fight and most of his wounds had partially or fully healed by now. Even the gash on his back seemed to get slightly better. Remus suspected that it took so long because magic had caused it, not any physical attack.  
With each day, their numbers shrank and with each day he worried even more about the possible outcome. Something was coming, he could feel it but he couldn’t say what it was exactly. 

At some point, he could feel the full moon. Since they were surrounded by windowless walls, they weren’t transforming. The whole night was just pent-up werewolves pacing around in their cells and trying to indicate fights. Remus couldn’t remember a time without the transformations and he wouldn’t miss the nights without them. Even though transforming hurt, it was better than the mass of tension and fury piling up inside him, making him ready to attack everyone that came close to his cell. 

After the full moon, he had probably been sitting around for at least two weeks, until something happened. Cell after cell was being opened and each remaining wolf was brought into the arena. They looked at each other suspiciously, trying to figure out what was happening. Remus stayed tense, ready to dodge a possible attack. At the edges of the arena, several guards were positioned, wands ready and faces unreadable. He exchanged a look with Artemis but she looked as confused as he felt. Then another door opened and everyone turned around. 

Bellatrix Black entered the arena. Her dark locks were pulled up and back, leaving her neck bare. Despite the burning sun she was wearing a dark red outfit. She looked at them with disgust and then turned away. That movement revealed Fenrir who grinned satisfied and looked directly at Remus. His master waved her wand and his collar vanished, then she stepped aside. “They are yours now.” She followed the wolf’s gaze for a second and then vanished into thin air. Remus could see her reappearing next to her sisters and taking her place. The next moment, the Empress gave the signal to start and all hell broke loose.  
Apart from Remus and Artemis, seven other wolves remained. At first glance it appeared as if they outnumbered him but Remus knew better. Before he could warn the others, two already launched at him. They still saw him as a traitor since they hadn’t been in the tent. They didn’t know his name and thus didn’t know about his reputation.

He felt Artemis tense, ready to attack but he held her back. “Don’t..!” She looked at him, fury written all over her face. “What are you doing, Remus? He betrayed us! It’s his fault that my brother is dead!” She tried freeing herself but he tightened his grip. “And you will join him soon, if you don’t listen to me. He didn’t betray us because he never was on our side. He was a spy. And his name isn’t Randall, its Fenrir. Fenrir Greyback.” Her face paled as the realization struck her and she turned to look at him.  
Fenrir’s reputation was everything but pleasant. He was known for killing without hesitation if his master ordered him to, not making any difference between werewolves, wizards and people without magic. The thing that shocked most people was that he did it with pleasure. And even – or maybe especially – now it could be seen. 

Under the screams of the crowd, he was able to get a grip on one of his opponents. Fenrir strangled him, getting his victim in between himself and the other wolves. A lunatic grin spread across his face as he snapped the other wolf’s neck with ease and tossed him aside. “Alright, enough with the play time. Who’s next?” With that, he launched himself at the nearest opponent, throwing her to the ground and keeping her down with an iron grip. 

Remus’ mind was racing. He turned, trying to find a way out even though he knew it was pointless. Artemis next to him struggled not to join the fight and after two more hit the ground, she freed herself abruptly and attacked Fenrir. Remus called her name but he saw her face. She was blind with rage yet somehow able to avoid his attacks.  
She was fast. Ducking under his arms, rolling away and just generally using her speed to her advantage. She avoided the older wolf’s punch and dragged her claws across his ribs. He howled in anger and the people on the ranks cheered. 

He was torn between helping her and trying to avoid the fight completely. The other four kept their distance for the moment, trying not to get hit. Her next move made the decision for him. She had been able to jump onto his back and to sink her teeth into his shoulder. He growled, trying to get her off of his back but she didn’t budge. He couldn’t just throw her off unless he wanted to risk a serious injury. Normally, Remus would have left it to her. She was a skilled fighter, fast and strong but she was tired. The holding conditions, the constant fights and the lack of good food had drained her strength. 

There was also another point: Fenrir wasn’t part of the pack, so Remus’ deal with himself didn’t count here. Fenrir still struggled to get rid of her but before he could make a successful move, Remus was next to him, planting a directed kick into his knee and then – using the moment of surprise – threw him into the dirt by pulling away his legs. Their opponent grunted and rolled onto his back, forcing Artemis to get off of him so she wouldn’t get trapped under him. She took her place next to Remus and he gave her an appreciative nod. She managed a short smile and then fixed her eyes on Fenrir who was already on his feet. After a short inspection of the bite on his shoulder, he grinned. “Not bad. You’re the first ones to actually land a hit.”

Remus registered that the others also took on places behind him and Fenrir’s expression changed to something unreadable. “Now, after everything that has happened, you guys act loyal? After trying to kill each other, you suddenly are brothers and sisters again?” Remus glanced at them and then shook his head. “No. But you are a bigger threat than any of us. How does that idiom go? Ah, right: The enemy of my enemy is my friend. That has to be enough.” Fenrir laughed and then flashed them a grin. “At least now it is going to be a real challenge.”

~~~

Sirius sat in his usual place, the eyes fixed on the arena. He really started to hate his mother with every fibre of his being. Sure, he had despised her before but her latest decision had just deepened that feeling. At first he had felt disbelief after Bellatrix had left her toy in the arena. It had quickly changed to anger and disgust after he saw how the maniac tore apart three wolves with ease.  
It had appeared that no one could do him any harm but then the two that had avoided the fights had attacked. Shortly after, the remaining wolves had joined. What was going on in the arena now was something he never would have imagined.  
It wasn’t only the fact that Fenrir was able to hold himself against six others. It wasn’t the surprise of them suddenly working together against him. It was that the one he had observed since day one, the one that never had shown any sign of aggression, was now fighting. Sirius had been able to see much of his defence but his offence was even more captivating. He was fast, precise and patient. Never attacking when it was too risky only when he knew that he could land a hit.  
The fight went on longer than any previous fight and after almost an hour, the first ones started to get tired. That was the moment the tides turned again. Fenrir started taking them apart, one by one until only two of them were left.

~~~

Remus stood next to Artemis. His body screamed from exhaustion, his shoulder hurt from where he took a hit to protect one of the others. There was a cut on his forehead that was constantly leaking, causing his head to ache. The girl next to him clearly was out of breath but there was determination in her eyes. A dark stain on her side indicated that she had been wounded, too.  
His look moved over to their opponent. By now, he had taken the most hits yet he still didn’t seem tired. He straightened, preparing for the next attack. To his surprise, it wasn’t Fenrir that moved first but Artemis. She hauled herself at their opponent with a scream but his expression changed. He grinned. He had expected it and was going to use it. 

Remus wanted to call her, to stop her somehow but he couldn’t move. Helplessly, he watched, as Fenrir dodged an obvious attack and caught her. He locked her arms to her body. From his position, Remus couldn’t see what was going on exactly but shortly after, a loud crack echoed around the arena. Her body went limp and fell to the ground once Fenrir loosened his grip. Then he turned towards Remus with a grin, slowly making his way over. But Remus wasn’t moving. He couldn’t. Trapped inside his head, he remembered how he promised her to do anything to keep her safe. And now she was gone. All of them were. And he hadn’t done anything to save them.

His eyes focused on his opponent again but before anyone could do anything, the collar reappeared around Fenrir’s neck, stopping him dead in his tracks. Remus eyes wandered around the arena in confusion until his gaze fell onto the Emperor’s balcony. The heir to the throne was standing there, looking at Remus and even though there was quite some distance between them, he could feel the intensity of the gaze. Next to him, his mother had stood up as well, wand pointed at the other werewolf, a cold expression on her face. Some of the guards came over, two of them escorting Fenrir to the gate he had entered through. The others surrounded Remus and pulled him to another exit. After everything that had happened that day, he didn’t even try to fight back. By now, his exhaustion and the pain had taken over him and they had to practically drag him out of the arena. 

~~~

The second there were only Fenrir and the other wolf left, Sirius turned to his mother. “Do you remember our deal?” he asked, keeping his voice low. She looked at him suspiciously but nodded. He gestured towards the arena. “I choose him” he continued. In the following moment, lots of emotions crossed his mother’s eyes yet not her face. Disbelief, anger, fury and disgust, nothing new for him. He expected her to complain or reject him but she stood up wordlessly, pointing her wand towards Fenrir and putting the collar around his neck again. Sirius rose, too, and kept his gaze trained on the other wolf. He looked exhausted and somehow broken. Only natural, the wizard reminded himself, he had just lost the rest of his pack. 

Sirius turned to his mother as Guards escorted the wolves out of the arena. “I am going back home to... take care of this matter.” Her hard, cold expression didn’t bother him anymore and she shortly nodded. “Now it is up to you to keep your part of the deal” she said before turning away. He left the arena and apparated back to his family’s home. Nova was already waiting for him. “I want you to bring some food and wine to my room. Afterwards, prepare a bath. Our guest is dirty and I want him to clean up before we meet.” She nodded and hurried away. He went up and entered his room, getting rid of his toga and stepping up to the window.  
Part of him was sure he had done the right thing while another part doubted his decision, asking himself if he someday would regret choosing the wolf. He sighed and brushed a streak of hair behind his ear.

The door opened again and Nova brought the food and wine he asked for. “Thank you” he gave her a short smile. She looked surprised at first but responded with a small, timid smile while setting down the things she carried. “By the way, Nova”, he caught her before she could leave the room again and she turned to look at him “I just wanted to warn you that the... guest I am expecting might... he might be difficult.” She nodded slightly and signed something before leaving to prepare the bath. Sirius chuckled. Right. He couldn’t be worse than his own family.

~~~

Remus seemed to have blacked out after leaving the arena since he couldn’t remember how he got to the house he was now standing in front of. The guards dragged him towards the servant’s entrance and one opened the door. As soon as they entered, a shudder ran down his spine. He had spent a long time under the burning sun today so it was actually a welcomed change. His body ached as he straightened himself. The hands around his upper arms let go of him and another pushed him forwards. He stumbled slightly before going forward, taking in the rooms they crossed. 

A woman awaited them in the atrium. She was dressed like a slave but the rather rich style of the tunic marked her as a personal one. Her brown her was cut to shoulder-length and held out of her face with a simple hairband. The guards stopped and Remus did, too, still confused. The slave gestured him to follow her and went up the stairs she was waiting in front of yet Remus didn’t move. What was going on here?  
She quickly realised that he still stood there and sighed quietly, then she waved again to signal him closer. “Who are you? Where am I? And what is going on here?” A slightly pained expression crossed her face and she seemed to think about something.  
“She’s mute”, said one of the guards from behind and the slave sighed inaudibly, then nodded. “Oh...” was the only thing Remus was able to get out, before she gestured him to follow yet again. Still cautious, he started to move, walking over to the staircase and taking the first step. He was still expecting them to either kill him on the spot or drag him back into his cell yet nothing happened. As he climbed up towards the top, he could hear a faint noise and as he turned around, the guards had vanished. He followed the slave to the top and she led him into a room.

His gaze quickly took everything in. The floor was plated with marble and polished enough to reflect most things in the room. There was a mirror next to the window on the wall opposite to him. A tub was found in the corner, partially built into the ground and filled with water. There was a chair with some clothes and towels on it, a small basket with oils and other bottles and phials - whose content he couldn’t identify – was placed onto the tub’s broad rim.  
He turned to the slaved that was positioned in a corner, her hands clasped together, waiting for... something. “Am I... am I supposed to wash myself?” he asked carefully, not trying to misinterpret the situation. She simply nodded and gestured over to the tub yet he still hesitated. “Do you have to stay?”  
She thought about it for a second then hesitantly shook her head and motioned towards the door with a questioning gaze. He nodded slightly, hoping he had understood her correctly. The woman went over to the door they had entered through, leaving the room and locking the door behind her audibly. He turned to look around, his only exit would be another door on the right side of the room. 

After considering his options for a while, he undressed with a silent sigh. Even though he didn’t really know what was happening, it was probably unwise to ignore the bath prepared for him. Whoever his host might be, they made it quite clear he should clean himself and he couldn’t argue with that. His cell had been dirty and had smelled of something unidentifiable. In addition to that, the dirt and blood he had carried out of the arena after today’s events probably weren’t a suitable attire for this house and its inhabitants.  
Since the water didn’t smell suspiciously in any kind of way, he climbed into the tub and sat down, unable to keep in the quiet and satisfied moan that escaped him. The water had the perfect temperature and it had been quite a while since he had enjoyed the pleasure of a real bath. With a washcloth, he started to scrub away the dirt on his arms and legs, carefully swiping over the rather fresh wounds. Once he was finished, the water was dirty and slightly stained red yet he didn’t want to leave the tub for now. 

Remus finally climbed out of it, drying himself up with one of the towels. Afterwards he examined the clothing left for him. A simple pair of dark pants and a light grey tunic, both plain but of better quality than everything else he had owned his whole life. He quickly dressed himself and took a look at his reflection in the mirror.  
It was hard to recognize himself. It had been years since he had seen himself in a mirror, the reflection a river gave him wasn’t able to compete to that. The scars scattered all across his body were very visible against his tanned skin. Under the collar of the tunic he was able to see a faint tan line, where occasional tunics had protected his skin from the sun. His hair was not styled and shaggy, still damp from the water. Some of the strands fell into his eyes, it had been a while since he cut it. Now that he was thinking about all of this, it had been a while since he had done anything at all. 

He still hesitated to leave the room. Maybe he was supposed to wait for the slave to come back but she couldn’t know when he was finished. With a deep breath he calmed himself a bit and then reached for the handle of the – hopefully – unlocked door. It opened without a sound and he stepped into the room, looking around. It was a bedroom, surprisingly empty in comparison to the rest of the house he had seen before. Before he was able to make out any details, something moved in the corner of his eye. It was a person, he wouldn’t have noticed if they hadn’t moved. He turned towards them and his breath caught in his throat.

“So, we finally meet in person.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably the longest chapter by now.   
> I'm sorry if the middle part is... kinda rocky but I was trying to get to the end of it. 
> 
> Hope you still enjoy :)

Sirius had waited for longer than he had anticipated but he didn’t mind. His mind wandered, trying to imagine how the wolf might look up close, how his voice sounded, how he might react. At the same time, his gaze had wandered over the city, the cool breeze playing with the strands that had come loose from his hair. After a while, he had heard someone rummaging in the bathroom, so he turned around, the back to the window and the arms crossed, waiting patiently for the door to open.   
Then, finally, it opened, and the wolf stepped through. Immediately, Sirius was satisfied with his choice. He was tall, taller than the wizard himself. His skin was tanned from the amount of time he had spent in the sun, showing off the impressive amount of scars. His light brown hair was long enough to fall into his eyes, whose colour he wasn’t sure of right now. His arms were muscular despite his lean form, which didn’t surprise him since he had seen the wolf fight.   
Altogether, he was handsome and Sirius was looking forward to the evening.

The wolf entered the room cautiously, looking around and obviously not noticing him. He stayed still a moment longer, then moved towards the other man. The taller one turned towards him, as he spoke. 

“So, we finally meet in person.” 

His words seem to have an echo in the tensed silence that followed. He waited for the wolf to take him in, slightly grinning as the other’s eyes roamed his body for longer than appropriate. Not that Sirius minded.

~~~

Remus stared at the wizard, taken aback. He had heard a lot about the Black family, about the cruel Emperor and Empress, the fanatic Bellatrix, but there had been almost no rumour or story about the heir to the Empire’s throne. And now, he was standing right in front of Remus, grey eyes fixed on the werewolf’s face and a slight grin on his lips.

For everything his family had done, he was almost outrageously handsome. Not that his family’s actions had anything to do with his looks, he reminded himself, yet Remus couldn’t believe that someone with a reputation like this could look this good.   
He was slightly shorter than Remus yet his shoulders were broader. He definitely had done some physical training, something he had never expected from a wizard. His dark, almost black (how ironic) hair probably reached his shoulders. It now was braided back due to the heat outside yet some strands had come loose, falling around his face. He was dressed in a surprisingly plain manner: a black tunic with a gold trim, a thin gold coloured cord was keeping it in around the waist. It occurred to him now, that he never had seen a member of the Black family in a colour other than this. It was almost ridiculous but Remus didn’t dare laugh. Apart from the tunic, he was wearing nothing, exposing as much of his surprisingly pale skin as possible. There were leather straps around his left forearm yet Remus didn’t know what they were for.

Remus was pull out of his stupor, as the wizard raised his voice. “I’m Sirius”, he said and a soft shudder ran down Remus’ spine at the sound of his voice. “And who’re you?” Sirius continued and Remus looked up at his face again. “Remus.”  
His throat was dry, as the other man eyed him curiously, the questions now bubbling under the surface after getting over the first moment of surprise. “Remus” he murmured. It almost seemed as if he was tasting the name, trying out its ring, then his grin grew wider. 

“I must say, you surprised me, Remus. And everyone else, for the matter. Though, I think they were also angry that you just disobeyed their nice game rules. Yet for me-“ he paused, walking around Remus, his gaze feeling like an inspection “for me, you only got more interesting.” Remus tensed, giving everything not to flinch as he felt the warm breath at his ear, the whispered words sent a shiver down his spine. “You’re probably wondering, why you’re here, hm?” The wizard chuckled quietly, then bringing some distance between them. Remus relaxed slightly and nodded, answering both the question and Sirius’ questioning gaze.   
The other man turned around, turned his back towards him. He either didn’t know what Remus was – though he doubted it – or simply wasn’t concerned about that. His eyes followed the wizard, as he sat down at a table that was decked with two plates of the most exotic food, Remus had ever seen. His stomach rumbled and Sirius grinned again, gesturing towards the second chair. “Come, sit down. I assume you’re hungry after your last meals so I had Nova prepare something. You have already met her, right?” Remus remembered the mute slave girl and nodded. If she was his personal slave, it would explain her attire. “Good. Now, come. Your questions are going to be answered while you’re eating.” 

Remus hesitated yet sat down, eyeing the food cautiously. “It isn’t poisoned. Here.” Sirius took a slice of a fruit that was filled with lots of red, glossy seeds. He plucked some off the slice and ate them, then offering Remus the slice. He took it, mimicking the movements. The seeds tasted surprisingly good and his stomach asked for more. He felt the wizard’s gaze on him and looked up, seeing a small, amused smirk. “Never had a pomegranate, I guess?” He chuckled at Remus’ confused expression and offered him a purple fruit. “Just take a bite. It’s a plum.” Remus followed the order and was again surprised by the sweetness. “I don’t think, I ever ate a fruit other than grapes” he admitted. Sure, they had ambushed lots of transports yet somehow they never got their hands on fruit. At least not these. They had gotten lots of grapes, used some of it to make wine. He had taken a sip once yet had hated the taste.

As if Sirius was able to read his mind, he offered him a goblet with a dark red liquid. He took it, hesitating. Why was the wizard offering all this? Without drinking, he put the goblet down, readying himself for what was about to come. “Why?” he asked and the wizard chuckled, understanding the unspoken part of the question. He took a handful of grapes, plucking one off and pushing it between his lips. Remus tried to focus on the eyes that now had wandered off, staring into something that wasn’t there. 

“I had a deal with my mother.” Sirius said, after a moment of silence. “I promised her to marry Bellatrix and produce an heir if in exchange I get to choose a lover for myself. Someone, she isn’t going to have any kind of power over.”   
“Isn’t Bellatrix your cousin?” Remus asked into a pause even though the part with the lover bugged him more. Sirius shrugged. “Never mattered for my family. “ “And why me?” he continued, hoping his questions wouldn’t trigger anything. Wizards were known for their explosive manner, especially the Blacks. Yet Sirius just grinned slightly. “As I said, you caught my interest through just blatantly disobeying the rules. Plus, my mother hates werewolves. So, naturally, I’m not simply choosing a male lover, no, I’m choosing a werewolf. It’s like a hit in the face and she can’t do anything about it.”

“So you just brought me here to annoy your mother?” Remus started to question the wizard’s motives but he just laughed and shook his head. “Not just to annoy her. To really piss her off. You didn’t grow up with that bitch but if you did, you’d do the same. Trust me.” He stood up, walked over to the bed and took something from the nightstand. “Also, you could be a little more thankful. Sure, you’re technically a slave but you’re probably going to have a better life than half of the Empire’s population. So, there are worse fates.” He turned around and Remus could see the leather band in his hand. A collar. Of course. “You mean like being ripped apart by your friends just to satisfy others?” he asked with a bitter tone. Something changed in the other man’s face, just for a second, then his usual expression returned. “It wasn’t my idea, you know? I didn’t support it. But I could only choose one.”

Remus stayed silent. “Artemis... the blonde girl...” he started after a while then hesitated. “I’m sorry”, Sirius said and Remus took a deep breath. So she was gone, too. He had hoped that she somehow was alive but now that hope was shattered. He felt the wizard move closer and looked up at him, eyeing the collar with clear disgust. “Sorry” Sirius lifted it up “I still have to follow some rules. Nothing personal.”  
He gestured Remus to stand up and he followed the order. Before, he at least had had the chance to die on his own terms. Now, that chance wasn’t existing anymore. He closed his eyes and felt the cool leather touch his skin. It was soft, adapting to the form of his neck, unlike the metal shackles he had worn before. Could be worse but the thought of getting transformed into just another possession made him sick. He opened his eyes again and watched as Sirius pulled his wand out of the gauntlet-like thing around his left forearm. So that was, what these straps were for. 

~~~

Sirius carefully took Remus’ arm, pulling it closer to him and turning the lighter, softer skin to the top. For some reason he felt bad, restraining the wolf with the collar but it was both a rule and a precaution. Under the wary eyes of the wolf, he rested the wand’s tip against the skin. Spreading out like ink, a black mark formed, placing the family crest on Remus’ arm. The wolf tensed as he recognized the symbol and gritted his teeth, pulling back his arm and rubbing over the dark mark. Normally, no one would have accepted a slave to act like this but Sirius understood.   
While Remus was still looking at the crest, the wizard’s hand slid over the wolf’s back, causing him to flinch. “So you are injured. I wasn’t sure due to the distance.”

Remus turned around to face him. “One of your elite guards hit me with a spell. It cut open my back but the wound does not heal” he murmured. Sirius nodded slightly. “Magically induced wounds usually don’t heal without a spell. But I can heal the injury, if you allow me to.” Remus’ expression was hard to read. “You ask for my permission?” he questioned with an incredulous tone and Sirius simply nodded. He wouldn’t force himself onto the other man. That was something he had sworn to himself. The werewolf thought about it for a while then nodded slightly. “Alright... should I, um, remove the tunic?”   
Sirius nodded again, waiting for the skin to get exposed. He felt the others hesitation and discomfort yet couldn’t resist to take a moment to examine the other’s body. A small satisfied smile played on his lips, then he motioned for the other one to turn around. Remus followed the gesture and showed him the injury on his back. Sirius sucked air through his teeth, eyeing the gash. It cut across the wolf’s back, the edges were red and swollen, the inside of the wound showing signs of infection. He had seen these wounds before, it definitely had been Lucius’ handiwork. “It’ll probably hurt and leave a scar but it’s better than walking around with this thing for even longer, right?”

Remus looked at him over his shoulder, nodding slightly. “Just get it over with.” Sirius lifted his wand, quietly mumbling the spell and watched how the wound started closing up. The other man tensed and gave a strangled sound as muscles reconnected and skin closed, leaving a long and pink scar that formed a sharp contrast to the tanned skin. It would fade with time, leaving a white line, a faint memory that would blend in with the rest of the scars. Sirius took a step back, giving Remus space to put the tunic back on. He then walked over to the window, letting his gaze wander across the street. 

“Not many people would turn their back on me with ease. Even when I’m wearing this collar.” While he spoke, Sirius heard Remus coming closer. He huffed slightly and propped his elbows up onto the window sill. “You could have killed me at least a dozen times before I put that collar around our neck and you could do it even now. Yet you aren’t doing it. So why should I be afraid?” He felt the werewolf’s burning gaze in his back but didn’t turn around. “Because it is common sense to be afraid of a beast? What if I try to gain your trust and then kill you when you expect it the least?”

Sirius laughed slightly, turning around and leaning his back against the bottom of the opening. “By now, you should have realized that common sense isn’t really an argument for something I do.” 

They talked for a while, both of them trying to get as much information about the other as possible. He found out that Bellatrix’ toy had killed Remus’ parents and had also bitten him. Even though Sirius asked a lot more questions, the werewolf either ignored most of them or sidetracked to avoid answering them. Knowing, he wouldn’t get much more out of him, he stopped asking. The questions Remus asked he answered kind of truthful, often twisting the truth slightly to avoid giving to much detail or intimate information. To his surprise, Remus seemed to have accepted his fate more or less. He at least seemed calmer, more relaxed, even though he had basically become what he never had wanted.   
A cool breeze made him shiver slightly. By now, the sun had started to set. He waved his wand, lighting the candles scattered around the room and then looked at Remus with a curious expression. “You know, there’s one thing I’m still trying to understand” he said quietly. The werewolf was close enough so there was no need to raise his voice. “Which is...?” Remus asked, voice low as well, eyes unmoving and fixed to Sirius’ face. 

Sirius leaned his head to the side slightly and thought a moment to carefully sort out his words. Somehow, what he was about to ask made him feel insecure. He hated that feeling. “You have asked quite a lot of questions yet there is one thing you didn’t talk about.” He paused for a second and Remus look showed him to go on. “I told you why I picked you. And what for. You, well, you don’t seemed bothered at all by the fact that I chose you to be my lover.” Remus turned his gaze away, letting it wander around the room. “I... I admit, I was bothered at first. And I kind of still am. But now, I know that I could have been chosen by someone else. I’m not happy with my fate, I still wish you would have let me die in the arena but I know that I cannot change the situation I’m in. And you don’t look like someone to force something on me or to hurt me for fun, so I will obey your orders. Not because I don’t have any other option but because I think it’s the easiest way to get along with each other.”   
Sirius nodded slightly. If he had to be honest, he was surprised. Whenever he had brought someone in for a night, they had come here willingly and Remus wasn’t. He looked at the werewolf and said “Sounds great. I mean, the better we get along, the better this situation will get for you. Plus, I bet it’s been quite some time since you last got laid” he grinned and winked, having fully regained his self-confidence. Again to his surprise, Remus looked to the ground with a self-conscious chuckle and rubbed his neck. He wasn’t entirely sure, but he could have sworn that his cheeks turned pink even though he had shown self-confidence just seconds ago. “Yeah, I guess.” 

The sudden shy behaviour caused Sirius to grin and as Remus raised his gaze again, he rolled his eyes. “Of course you are having your fun with that.” The wizard’s grin only widened and changed his position so that Remus was now standing in between him and the wall. “Well, who wouldn’t?” he answered, raising his hand and cupping Remus’ cheek. Then he leaned forward, pulling the other one down slightly so he could whisper into his ear. “Just relax. I promise, I will take good care of you.”   
There was a hint of surprise in Remus’ eyes when Sirius kissed him but they closed quickly and Sirius took his time to explore the other’s mouth. His hands quickly found their way under the wolf’s tunic and he let his fingers roam around the other’s chest. After a while, his lips found their way across Remus’ jaw and down his neck, leaving a trail of hot kisses on the soft skin, occasionally biting or sucking on it. One of his legs found his way between Remus’ and he slightly pressed it against the other man’s crotch. A small moan escaped the taller man and he tilted his head back, exposing more of his neck which Sirius immediately explored. 

The wizard grinned slightly. This was promising to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I'm not really comfortable with writing explicit sexual content, so we're going to have to stick with this. Sorry, if anyone is disappointed :p


	6. Chapter 6

The sound of something shattering woke him from his sleep. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and trying to make out something in the dark. Another noise came from outside of his room. He furrowed his brow and pushed his legs off the bed, stood up and left the room. His footsteps echoed through the empty hallway, a faint moon illuminating the room through the window. 

He made his way over to the other bedroom, the only possible source of the noise. Slowly, he pushed open the door and looked at the dark silhouettes. “Mom? Dad?” he asked carefully and stepped inside the room. His eyes slowly scanned over the shattered vase and then went back to the figures in front of the bed. After a second, he identified them as his mother bending over his father. She was shaking and a strangle sob cut through the silence. He tried again.  
“Mom? Is everything okay?” She raised her head and he could see the tears in her eyes and running down her face. There was a dark stain on her nightgown and as he eyed his father, who lay motionless on the ground, he saw a similar stain. The metallic smell was something he couldn’t place. 

Suddenly, his mother’s eyes caught something behind him and even in the dim light he could see the blood draining from her face. “Come here” she said, hand outstretched but before he could move, he felt someone step up behind him. As he turned around and looked up towards the man, he saw the blood on his jaw and shirt. A grin spread across his face, showing of sharp, blood stained teeth. A scar cut through his eyebrow and cheek and the skin twisted around it. He took a couple of steps back, away from the intruder, the other one followed with a single step. The moonlight caught in his unnaturally yellow eyes and they seemed to glow.  
Then, the man lunged at him but his mother grabbed him from behind and pulled him back, getting caught in his grip instead. The boy fell, landing in a sticky pool and as he looked down, he saw that he was sitting in a puddle of blood. His eyes widened even more and he choked slightly as he saw his father’s throat torn open. 

His mother’s voice ripped him out of his trance. “Run, Remus! Run for your life!”

And he did. He stumbled slightly, as he got up and ran out of the room, blindly storming through the hall and down the stairs, leaving bloody footprints on the cold floor tiles. As he reached the main door, his mother’s scream, filled with terror and pain, sent a shiver down his spine. Still, he didn’t stop. He slipped out of the door, and fled through the streets, leaving the house behind. After a while, he paused, trying to catch his breath and slumped to the ground. Right now, he didn’t know where he was but he didn’t care. Tears burnt in his eyes and he had to hold himself back, trying to keep in the sobs that hurt in his chest. 

When Remus realised that he wasn’t alone, it was already too late. Two strong hands caught him, one covering his mouth to stifle the sounds he made. He caught a glimpse of the man’s face, fresh scratches had appeared on his cheek, probably his mother’s work. He felt his body stiffen and found it hard to breathe, as the man eyed him with a sadistic grin. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to kill you. You are still easy to shape. Just remember that I, Fenrir Greyback, was the one that passed this gift onto you.” His cold eyes glinted and Remus shut his eyes. Pain ripped through his body and his scream was supressed by Fenrir.  
Suddenly, torches lit up around them and loud voices filled the air. He felt the grip loosening, letting him fall to the ground. He didn’t move and blacked out shortly after.

~~~

Remus woke up, drenched in sweat and panting as if he’d run across the city yet he didn’t scream. He had once and it had only brought more problems. Since then, he always woke up silent.  
To his surprise, he was shortly blinded by the sunlight, as he sat up, trying to orientate himself. He was sitting on a bed that was unusually soft. He actually felt surprisingly well rested.

He was reminded of his situation as someone moved next to him. His gaze fell upon the sleeping man next to him, looking somehow angelic in the light of the golden morning sun. His eyes roamed the sleeping figure, taking in as much detail as possible. As a negative side-effect, seeing the wizard reminded him of the collar around his neck. His fingers started to fumble with the clasp at the back but it was no use. With a frustrated sigh he pushed a strand of hair out of his eyes and looked back at Sirius. It would be so easy to kill him now and vanish but he knew that he couldn’t, for various reasons.  
His gaze wandered around the room as his mind recaptured the last night. He closed his eyes and remembered the gentle yet demanding touches, the lips that seemed to be everywhere at once, the warm breath against the back of his neck. He shuddered, then shook his head. He shouldn’t be thinking about this. At least not the way he did now. 

Remus looked down at the wizard as the other one started to move and started to fumble with the thin cover to occupy his hands. He didn’t know what to expect from the situation. His eyes roamed around the room and fell onto the bedside table where he saw Sirius’ wand. Would he really be careless enough to just let it lie around when the werewolf could just take it?  
Suddenly, Sirius whispered into his ear “I wouldn’t do that, if I were you” Remus flinched slightly, he hadn’t even realised that the wizard had come so close. He turned slightly to see a grin on the other’s face. “Why?” he asked, more out of curiosity than anything else. He felt fingers trace the collar and huffed out a sigh. Of course. 

“I mean, you could take it but it would hurt. It would burn your hands. My mother thinks about everything” Sirius said, sounding somewhat bitter. Then he stretched and brought some distance in-between them. A shy knock came from the door and the wizard grinned. “Perfect timing as always” he said and the door opened, revealing the slave. “You know Nova already, I assume?” he asked and looked at Remus who nodded. So Nova was her name.  
She moved closer and presented Sirius some clothes that he put on, clearly not ashamed to be completely naked in front of her. Then he sat down and she continued her work with brushing and braiding his hair. Remus watched her and remembered that it was really as soft as it looked. He shook himself out of his thoughts and used the moment to quickly get dressed. 

Once she was finished, Sirius stood up again and turned towards Remus. “I will attend breakfast downstairs. Nova will get you some food. If there is anything special you desire, just ask her for it.” Remus nodded slightly and watched him leave the room. Afterwards he turned towards the slave, eyeing her shortly. Her gaze was questioning and he sighed. “I... I really don’t know anything about the regular routine, so... why don’t you just get some food and join me with the breakfast? Maybe you could answer some questions or... you know, teach me how you communicate?” He looked at her, eyes hopeful and a slight hint of surprise crossed her face, then she smiled and nodded slightly, following with a gesture that he interpreted as “as you wish”. Then, she turned towards the door and left for the kitchen, leaving Remus alone with his thoughts and memories.

~~~

Sirius entered the dining room, finding most part of his family already sitting at the table with the slaves ready to follow orders. His mother eyed him coldly, then said “It’s a surprise, you’re already here. And not as the last one, unlike usual.” His eyes quickly wandered around the room, noting the absence of his oldest cousin. As his mother impatiently gestured for a slave, Sirius raised his voice. “Don’t bother, I’ll go get her” he said, not waiting for his mother’s reply as he turned around and went back up. He passed Nova and gave her a nod, then stopped in front of Bellatrix’ room.  
Without bothering to knock, he opened the door, entered the room and let the door fall closed. A sudden shriek caused him to look up and he immediately shielded his eyes yet the image of Bellatrix on top of Fenrir was already burned into his mind. She quickly covered up with her sheet, starting to rant as he stopped her with a short gesture. “You should be glad, that I’m the one entering and not mother or one of her obedient slaves” he grinned, enjoying her furious yet still embarrassed expression. “Now dress up and hurry up, breakfast is ready and you don’t want someone to find out that we actually have something in common, right?” he added and winked, then left the room yet waited in front of it. Shortly after, his cousin followed, giving him a deadly look. “If anyone hears about it, especially your mother-““You’ll kill me, I know” Sirius interrupted “Your secret is safe with me. For now. Don’t forget that.”

Not waiting for her, he started to move and aimed for the dining room again. His mother waited impatiently. “Well, what took you so long, Bellatrix?” she asked and he could have sworn that slight fear crossed his cousin’s eyes. Feeling especially chivalrous, he shrugged and said “Found her screaming at a slave that ruined one of her favourite dresses, one she wanted to wear today. His punishment took some time.” Walburga eyed him cautiously but nodded. “Very well. Now come, sit so we can finally start to eat.”  
Sirius sat down at his usual place, shooting Bellatrix a short grin before starting to eat. She stared at him for a while and he almost could hear her think but he didn’t bother with that anymore. 

As he left the dining room, someone grabbed his arm and turned him around quickly. Suddenly, he was trapped between the wall and Bellatrix, who eyed him with a mix of emotions in her eyes, he’d never seen from her. “What?” he asked, brow furrowed and annoyance in his tone. “What is your goal? Why did you cover for me?” she hissed, narrowing her eyes and basically piercing him with her eyes. Sirius just shrugged. “Maybe I was just feeling helpful?”  
She scoffed and pushed a loose strand of hair out of her face, hissing “Sirius Black and helpful? You don’t do anything unless you profit from it in some way?” A slight grin crossed his face and he raised an eyebrow. “Wow, we’re scarily similar in that matter. Listen, I had a good morning after an even better night, so I felt chivalrous and unfortunately I am going to marry you” he shuddered slightly and she slightly bared her teeth in disgust and anger “but I’m going to make the best of it. Somehow. Look at it as... giving you a lesson in trust? I’m not going to hold it against you, hell, I never wanted to see that, but we somehow have to get along at least a bit, so I thought I’m gonna create an opening for us to – can’t believe, I’m saying this – build a less hateful relationship, if that makes sense.”

His cousin stared at him, her almost black eyes seemingly anxious to burn through his skull, then she scoffed again. “Yeah, sure. Listen, whatever you are planning, I’m not playing your games. And I’ll make sure you are going to keep it for yourself” She whirled around, barely missing his face with her black locks (she had once hit him and they had felt like whips across his face) and stormed off. He shook his head and mumbled. “So suspicious. And never listens.”  
Once he opened the door, his gaze fell onto Remus who sat at the table with Nova. He closed the door behind him and walked closer. The both of them were looking at a book. Remus occasionally stopped, gesturing towards something on the page and explaining it in a low voice. Nova’s eyes switched between Remus and the page, following every word he said.  
“I didn’t know you were able to read”, Sirius said and both of them flinched. While Nova paled immediately and shot up from her chair, Remus turned around on his seat and eyed him warily. “And I didn’t know you would be able to sneak up on me like that”, he countered, a hint of provocation in his eyes. Sirius ignored the comment and stepped closer, gesturing towards Nova. “Calm down, I’m not going to punish you or anything. Not my style”, the wizard stated and she slowly relaxed a little. Then, he turned his attention towards the book and grinned slightly. “The Book of Spells. How fitting.”

He didn’t need to look at the werewolf to know that he was rolling his eyes. “Well, I hope you do know that it is illegal to teach slaves... well, literally anything, so if you ever wanna teach her how to write, too, paper and ink are in there.” He waved towards the desk and saw a hint of surprise in Remus’ eyes. “You aren’t angry?” he asked with a cautious undertone. Sirius chuckled and responded “Why should I? I would have done the same, if I had the time. So, I’m not gonna say a thing if you don’t. By the way, did she teach you her sign language?”  
Remus looked over at Nova and then nodded. “Well, not completely but we started at least.” Sirius nodded. “Good. Makes the whole thing easier, I suppose.” He sat down on the empty chair and leaned back. 

“All right, I have some work to do later, so why don’t you tell how far you’ve gotten before I gotta go?”


End file.
